Centenary of Scouting in Australia

Australia

The centenary of the Scouting movement was celebrated worldwide in 2007
marking the first experimental camp for 20 boys at Brownsea Island, England
in August 1907. The founder of Scouting, Lord Robert Baden-Powell, used the
opportunity to test his ideas for an outdoor education program that "developed
pluck, intelligence, initiative, and a spirit of adventure". The success of this
initiative led to two publications: Scouting for Boys and Scout both appearing
in instalments in 1908. Scouting quickly spread around the world and the
arrival of these pamphlets in Australia led to the rapid development of
scouting in this country.

Scouts on stamps

Only two previously issued Australian stamps featured Scouts - a 2 1/2d
Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree 1948-49 and a 3 1/2d Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree
1952-53. The common design for both stamps was a Rover Scout with the
model for the design being Owen Manley (son of the stamp designer and
engraver of the stamps, Frank Manley). Both father and son worked at the
Note Printing Branch, Melbourne.

Australia had planned to produce a third Scouts stamp issue in late 1956
to mark the Pan-Pacific Scout Jamboree of 1956-57, but the stamp
was abandoned due to a change in commemorative stamp issue policy.
In 1960 the 50th Anniversary of Guides was recognised with a 5d stamp
incorporating a portrait of Baden-Powell. Two PSEs also commemorated
Scouts: a 24c 4th Asia-Pacific Scout Jamboree (1979) and 27c 75th
Anniversary of Scouting (1982).
In earlier years, the Postmaster-General's Department usually established
temporary post offices at Scout and Guide Jamborees. The first major
Jamboree in Australia was held at Frankston, Victoria (24 December 1934
to 10 January 1935), at which a TPO operated with a commemorative
postmark.

Scouting Today

:

Scouting is now an international movement dedicated to building peace and
understanding among young people of different cultures and backgrounds.
The movement is recognised as the world's largest youth development
organisation and is active in almost every country in the world. Since the
Scouting movement was formed more than 250 million people have joined.

There are currently some 60,000 scouts in Australia, in five different groups:
Joeys (6 to 7 year olds); Cubs (8 to 10); Scouts (11 to 14);
Venturers (15 to 17); and Rovers (18 to 26).

Originally Scouts was a movement for boys, however, girls were admitted to
Venturer Scouts and Rovers in 1973 and to Cub Scouts and Scouts in 1988.
Joeys began in 1990 and has always admitted both girls and boys.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell

Scouting in Australia

:

The growth of Scouting in Australia was organic and occurred during the first
half of 1908. By the end of that year membership figures in New South Wales
were 1,200 boys. In Victoria the First Caulfield Troop was formed in June 1908.
The visits made to Australia by Baden-Powell in 1912, 1927, 1931 and 1934

Technical Information

Issue Date: 2008-02-19

FDI Withdrawal Date: 2008-03-18

Denominations: One each 50c, $1.30, $1.95

Designer: Asprey Creative

Printer: SEP Sprint

Paper: Tullis Russell

Printing Process: Lithography

Size: 37.5mm x 26mm

Performations: 13.86 x 14.6

Sheet Layout: 50

Special Feature: Cloth badge on prestige cover

National Postmark: Frankston, Vic 3199

copyright notice: This material has been reproduced with permission of the Australian Postal Corporation. The original work is held in the National Philatelic Collection.